Abstract
Emerging vehicular networks in the forms of Intra-Vehicle (InV), Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V), and Vehicleto- Infrastructure (V2I) communications will enable a variety of applications for safety, traffic efficiency, driver assistance, as well as infotainment to be incorporated into modern automobile designs. At the same time, networked Electronic Control Units (ECUs) are increasingly being deployed in automobiles to realize functions such as engine management, air-bag deployment, and even in intelligent brake systems. In addition, users now expect to sit in an automobile and have their brought-in devices, and beamed-in services harmoniously integrated with the built-in interfaces inside the automobile. Thus, widespread adoption of vehicular networks is fast becoming a reality and critical data is being exchanged with-inside and with-outside vehicle via vehicular networks. This chapter gives an overview of this emerging area of vehicular networks, its potential applications, its potential wireless technologies for data exchange, and its research activities in the Europe, the United States (U.S.), Japan, and Singapore.
TopCar Communications
New technologies are being developed for vehicular networks and these networks provide an efficient method for today’s complex car communications. Figure 1 shows the example of InV, V2V and V2I communications.
Figure 1. Example of InV, V2V, and V2I communications
InV provides communication among ECUs/sensors in a vehicle while V2V and V2I provide communications among nearby vehicles and between vehicles and nearby fixed roadside equipments. Vehicular networks are a cornerstone of the envisioned Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). By enabling vehicles to communicate with its function systems via InV communication, with other vehicles via V2V communication as well as with roadside base stations via V2I communication, vehicular networks will contribute to safer and more efficient roads by providing timely information to drivers and concerned authorities.